Improving Engagement in Remote Teams

It’s a difficult prospect to keep employees engaged, and many of the regular standbys are no longer effective in a post-COVID-19, remote-as-normal world. It’s critical that leaders and managers think outside the box to find novel ways to keep employees happy, productive, and fulfilled. One of the most critical ways of doing this is ensuring they are set up for success in their new environments. Do they have the equipment they need to be successful? Maybe consider a one-time stipend to help them set up better home offices and outfit their homes with dedicated workspaces. Ask other employees to share best practices while you're at it. Second, recognition is still critically important. And while you can’t take the team out for lunch or have celebratory drinks after work, consider ways these activities can carry over. Consider a virtual happy hour or sending team members thank-you gifts in the mail. Finally, be human. In a virtual environment, it’s easier to always be “on,” but consider shedding the professional persona at the end of your one-on-one video call to talk about what’s going on in your life and ask employees what’s going on in theirs. A bit of humanity goes a long way.